MANILA – Public Works and Highways Secretary Manuel Bonoan has stepped down from his post as the Marcos administration grapples with allegations of irregularities in multibillion-peso flood control projects, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. saying the resignation was made under the principle of command responsibility.
“He took responsibility. It was under his watch when all these things happened, when all these problems happened. Under the principle of command responsibility, he felt that he should leave his post,” Marcos told reporters in Pasay City.
Bonoan’s resignation paved the way for the immediate appointment of former Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon as his replacement.
Marcos praised Dizon’s track record, saying, “He’s done a very good job sa (at the) DOTr.”
The leadership shake-up comes as Malacañang prepares to form an independent commission that will serve as the investigative arm to probe corruption within the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
“We are putting together the EO that will create the independent commission. The independent commission will be the investigative arm so that they will continue to investigate whatever information is received. It will be sent to them. They will investigate it,” Marcos explained.
He added that the commission will recommend actions against those implicated in the anomalies.
“They will recommend to the executive what to do to certain parties who have part of all of these corruption,” the President said.
Marcos emphasized the need for a pool of experts — forensic investigators, lawyers, prosecutors, and justices — to review evidence and decide whether cases should be brought before the Department of Justice or the Office of the Ombudsman.
The President further disclosed that questionable allocations had also been detected in the proposed 2026 national budget.
“Kasi unfortunately, the more we look, the more we find. Kahit sa 2026 budget, marami pa ring siningit. So, talagang it really needs to be cleaned out properly,” he said./PN
